Immaculata students honor veterans

Students and faculty at Immaculata joined together to celebrate Veterans Day with area vets.

Nancy Tanker/Times-News.

By NANCY TANKERTimes-News Staff Writer

Published: Tuesday, November 12, 2013 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, November 11, 2013 at 4:45 p.m.

A few tears were shed at Immaculata Catholic School Monday morning, but it wasn't the kids getting choked up. It was the veterans in the audience at a special Veterans Day celebration.

The ceremony included speeches from four students about the heroism of veterans, music and prayers.

For Larry Berkow, the school's custodian for the last 16 years, the event was touching. When he returned home after serving as a Morse code interceptor with the U.S. Army in Vietnam, the way veterans were treated was “dismal,” he said.

He said he was very happy to see Immaculata students making short speeches using words such as “honor,” “courage,” “bravery” and “duty” to describe the troops' service to the nation.

“Our country has evolved in honoring its vets. It's much different than when I came home from Vietnam. It's great to see the Immaculata kids showing a recognition of service and gratitude,” he said. “For me, it's all about God and country. As I've grown older and closer to God, I realize more and more what a wonderful country this is. It's like Kennedy said, 'Ask not what your country can do for you' — because your country does for you every day — but 'Ask what you can do for your country.'”

Berkow said that after serving in the military, “you become more appreciate of the people you're with every day — your brothers and sisters.”

Just a year ago, at age 62, Berkow decided he wanted to learn the violin. At one point Monday, he took the stage along with several other strings players and the fourth-grade chorus for the song “For the Good of the Many,” directed by music teacher Angie Goodman in honor of the veterans.

U.S. Navy retired Senior Chief Arthur Buchanan found the event emotional. He served his country for more than 30 years as a flight engineer searching for Russian subs and MiGs in the Cold War, “playing cat-and-mouse games with (Libyan leader Muammar) Khadafi” and serving in Vietnam. Returning home, he had a similar experience to Berkow's.

“When we came home from Vietnam, we didn't really get much of a homecoming,” he said. “When I got out of the Navy, my first two years were extremely tough. I didn't really know how to handle myself.”

Buchanan said he felt comfortable on base where he knew he could trust his fellow soldiers with his life, “but I really didn't have that trust feeling” in civilian life,” he recalled. “But I learned to trust others because they care.”

Looking around the Immaculata gymnasium, where the children had started to disburse, he added, “People care. They all care.” Buchanan said he has a special affection for Immaculata students after teaching pre-K at the school for 11 years.

He added that it's been heartening to see so many veterans welcomed home with open arms over the last few years, which has made him feel better about how people today might view his service.

“I've started wearing my Navy hat more in the past two years,” he added.

Helping to put away chairs after the event ended, eighth grader Joe Maddock said he thought it was “extremely important to recognize and remember the vets, because they fought for our freedoms and the freedoms of our country.”

Fellow eighth-grader Connor Leidner agreed.

“I thought (the event) was very enlightening,” he said. “I learned about the different branches of the military” when Principal Carol Breedwood asked each branch to stand for recognition. “It showed how important veterans are to our country.”

During the ceremony, several students took the American flag from the stage and handed it to two veterans, who held it as their fellow vets immediately saluted. They were met with a loud round of applause.

Immaculata substitute teacher Christine Breininger, who teaches sixth, seventh and eighth grades, served as a staff sergeant in the Ohio Air National Guard in the '80s while attending Ohio State to get her nursing degree. In the service, she was an optician and administered nursing services.

Events like the one at Immaculata go beyond honoring those who served, Breininger said.

“It's highly important for students to know they should respect the freedoms we have in this county and give honor to the flag,” she said.

Reach Tanker at 828-694-7871 or nancy.tanker@blueridgenow.com.

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